Kathmandu: A top UN official today met
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist supremo Prachanda
and discussed the stalled peace process as the world body
prepares for an orderly exit of its mission in Nepal.

United Nations Under-Secretary General for Political
Affairs B Lynn Pascoe, who is here on an official visit met
premier Nepal and discussed the latest political situation and
the on going peace process.

He arrived in Nepal for a two-day visit to review the
progress in the peace process and prepare for the orderly exit
of United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), according to UNMIN
press release.

"This is a critical period. The Security Council has
decided that UNMIN will close on January 15. There is a lot of
work to be done between now and then.

The Council also gave explicit instructions to do
everything we can to help the Nepali peace process in that
period, which we will certainly do under UNMIN chief Karin
Landgren," Pascoe said upon his arrival.

During the visit, Pascoe will engage in discussions
with the government officials, the political parties, UNMIN
officials and the UN Country Team as well as other
stakeholders on what needs to be done to ensure a smooth
transition to the post-UNMIN period.

"I need to get a good feel for where the process is
at the moment. I hope they would be very positive discussions
that I have with the party leaders and the government on this
process because I have to go back and report to the Security
Council next week on what I find. So I`m looking for a very
productive next couple of days," he said.

Pascoe also met the Nepali Congress president Sushil
Koirala, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Chairman
Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" and the Communist Party of
Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal.

During the meetings, Pascoe exchanged views on what
needs to be accomplished in the remaining time and where there
needs to be greater focus. He also discussed the
implementation of the Four Point Agreement with all of his
interlocutors.

In its Resolution 1939, the Security Council called
upon all the political parties to expedite the peace process
and to work together in a spirit of cooperation, consensus and
compromise.